Privacy is not so "Private" anymore

 

"Privacy"

What do you think of when you think of the word privacy? Do you think of something that is not revealed to a larger group? Do you think of something only you know that nobody else knows? Well now privacy is really not so "private" now, it may be private from your friends or family but not the companies that control your information or the government. The invasion of your privacy has become more of a business model than anything else and an excuse for the "big tech" to sell your information and make money off of you. Most companies have what is called an adhesion contract which is a contract in which one party holds all the power and can change the contract whenever they want to. This means that you could have the contract change without you even knowing what changes. Data mining is a way for these companies to collect various bits of information about you and use it however they may choose. They use some of the following to do so; user-generated content, tracking malware, deep packet inspection, voice recognition, and facial recognition. All of these terms are ways for companies such as Google or Facebook to acquire your information and keep it in their database forever.

Two terms that we learned in class that I had never heard of are the 3rd-Party Doctrine and the Shrink-Wrap Contract. The 3rd-Party Doctrine states that when the first party voluntarily gives information to the second party, it relinquishes all control over the use of that information by the third. This blew my mind that your information is essentley distributed and you lose all control of it at that point. The Shrink-Wrap Contract, which makes more sense to me although it doesn't make it less scary, states that once you open the box you agree to certain terms of service and conditions. For me this is visibly seen with Apple products and how once you open it you put your face recognition in, give up your information, and have no control over where that information ends up. Although you give up all this information to Apple, they have always been on the forefront of privacy and one ad campaign that I love is from them. Here it is below;

This ad focuses on over-sharing and how your information may not be as hidden as you may think. Privacy is one of the big reasons I continue to use Apple products and I think they will be on the forefront of privacy for years to come.

Rogers Diffusion of Innovations and the

 

Diffusion of Innovations and Smart Watches

(Source: Coolblue.nl)

Rogers Diffusion of Innovations looks at how different things become popular, by who, and how they become less popular over time. There are 5 different groups of people to consider when discussing this and they include the pioneers, early adopters, early majority, late adopters, and laggards. Each of these groups of people play a key role in the diffusion of innovations. The exploratory stage is the early stage where the pioneers take charge, and at the other end you have the laggards who have no real desire and they are in the moderation stage. Below is the diagram of what this looks like and it shows the different stages as well as the popularity of that innovation.

Let's take a look at  smart watches and view it through the lense of the Diffusion Theory to better understand how they gained their popularity. I had one of the first smart watches myself when Apple came out with the "Series 1 Apple Watch" This was the next greatest piece of technology and allowed for you to have your phone with you on your wrist. I think this is something that caught on by many because it was convenient and we all love convenience these days. It allowed for you to not even need to take out your phone and still do most of the same functions. This is one piece of technology that I know a lot of people became early adopters to and all wanted to have that futuristic technology on their wrist. Those that were early adopters had a smartphone and wanted to make it smarter by having that same functionality but on their wrist. Those who were late adopters to owning a smartwatch were probably the ones who didn't see a purpose because for a while I know you still needed to have your phone with you in order to send messages and have that same functionality. 

My mother was one who did not see a purpose at first because it was something else she had to charge and keep track of. These late adopters had to wait to see a strong purpose and I think now a lot of them are using smartwatches for the functionality of them. For those who have not adopted this technology at all they are either one of two people, those who like old-school and like to wear a regular watch, or those who do not have a smartphone so they have no need for a smartwatch. 

(Source: Techradar.com)

Walking around campus today you will see almost every student, faculty member, and staff member with some form of smartwatch on their wrist varying from a Fitbit to an Apple Watch. The functionality of such a technology has only gotten greater and allowed for us to track everything right there on our wrist. When you workout you can track heart rate, count steps, and do workouts all from your wrist. Because we have all become so relied on our technology I do not think that a downside is that it is another piece of technology. As the world changes we all must adapt and smartwatches while they can be a distraction, help prevent health issues you may not notice, and notify you of important things if your phone is not handy. They are a piece of technology that has essentially become as popular and mainstream as the smartphone itself and are only getting smarter and more responsive. The positives overall outweigh the negatives because nowadays they are helping people know if they are having a stroke or are even sick with COVID. As the price of these watches goes up, so do the benefits and I think there will be a point in the future where everyone has a smartwatch just like they have a smartphone. 

Sources

https://www.techradar.com/news/best-android-smartwatch

https://www.coolblue.nl/en/advice/how-does-smartwatch-work.html

EOTO Evolution of Technology

 

Instagram, Google, YouTube, Facebook

One thing that we all can agree on is that there are platforms that we use in our daily lives, and we tend to not think about who owns them. Some of the presentations that I heard from other students were about Instagram, Google, YouTube, and Facebook. All of these companies either are owned by one another or own one another. This is something that has always been mind boggling for me to understand because these successful small companies always end up getting bought out by the bigger ones. Instagram was bought by Facebook in 2012 for 1 billion dollars which seems like a lot now but their value has only skyrocketed since then. What I find interesting is what gives companies like Facebook the knowledge they need to know these companies will be successful in the future. To me it almost seems as if it is a monopoly and the "Big Tech" owns and influences so much.

Google and YouTube

Google began in 1995 by a student working on a research project and the goal was to develop the enabling technologies for a single digital library. The domain became registered in 1997 and it wasn't until 2001 that the first CEO was hired. This small project now has become the biggest search engine and one of the most powerful companies in the world.  YouTube, now owned by Google, started out as a dating site in 2004. Users started to post their own content and that is how the platform became the current YouTube that we know. The rise of YouTube was all started by the users ability to share mostly what they wanted. This platform is one of the more interesting to me because it connects people from all over the world together and of all interests. One of the pages that I see making an impact is a guy who grew up with no father and his goal is to teach kids with no fathers how to do things. His videos are all call "Dad how do I..." I think this shows the impact of YouTube itself and how it can influence people's lives in so many ways. Did Google know the potential of YouTube when it was a dating site? Well the new CEO worked for Google at the time and recommended that Google at least look into it. In 2006 Google Acquired YouTube for $1.65 Billion dollars, in 2019 alone they made 19 billion dollars. I was fortunate enough to be on a call with Sundar Pichai the CEO of Google over the summer and it was interesting to hear what he had to say about everything going on. 

Facebook and Instagram

Instagram was founded in 2010 by and they created the app to have people communicate through images. Two months after it was founded, Instagram had 1 million users on the platform and it wasn't until 2012 that Facebook bought Instagram for $1 billion dollars. Facebook now owns more platforms than its competitors and I think that it gives them too much control to alter reality to what they want it to be. I think this was most prevalent in this past election where they influenced and censored opinions that the platform did not agree with. I saw firsthand this election cycle how Facebook used their power to shelter even my own opinions on the platform. It now creates a different approach to political campaigning and the spread of national events. I think this is both a positive and negative aspect of these platforms because it creates a place for people to be attacked for their values above all. 

Do you think that more companies will be bought out by the big companies? Or is it time for them to move over and make room for more platforms to grow? The impact of these companies on our country has been both positive and negative but now causes more debate over how much control they truly have on us as Americans. I am worried to see the control they will have in the future after this past election and the riots that occured. 

Sources

https://fortune.com/2020/02/03/alphabet-youtube-ads-business-q4/

https://tectogizmo.com/share-facebook-instagram-android/

https://www.wsj.com/articles/can-big-tech-stocks-grow-without-limits-1523032264

The Evolution of Personal Computer

 

The Personal Computer (PC)

Evolution of the Computer

The computer we know of today or more commonly known as a PC was not always as convenient or complex as they are today. There are three different evolutions of the modern day computer starting with the computer age, post war innovation, and the invention of the modern day PC. These three times are ones that I thought would be important to highlight as seen through an article done by the History Channel.

The Rise of the First Computer (1946): During the computer age, the first computers were created and they were large to the point where they took up whole rooms, were expensive, and looked nothing like the modern day personal computer. The first and most famous computer was used to do military calculations during WWII and was a huge advancement for technology. Although it was expensive it woke up Universities and other businesses to see what that potential could be. The ENIAC was the computer that proved to these businesses how worth it it was. It was able to do what man could do in less time and do a better job as well. (History, 2019)

Innovation Excels (1971): During this time we were able to see the development of the microprocessor which completely eliminated the need for the integrated-circuit chip that was created by TI in 1971. The computers shrunk vastly in size and completed changed in size. The one component that made computers so large up until this point was the microprocessor. An engineer who worked for Intel invented the integrated-circuit in 1971.

The Modern Day Personal Computer (1977): Although there were many people who came up with similar PCs to the ones that we know of today, the most famous of them are Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs. Apple was founded in 1977 which changed how computers were viewed for the future. Microsoft also had come out with a computer similar to the Apple computer, but the Apple was better in many ways. It contained better memory and a screen which was new to everyone at the time.

The Impact of the PC on Humanity

Now that you know some of the history of the PC it is important to know what the impact was and how it is shaping us as humanity today. Although these computers were vastly different compared to what they used to look like, they still weigh in on our everyday lives. Personal Computers now are not just desktop computers or laptops, but they are phones and tablets as well. They allow you to have access to the internet no matter where you are. 

One quote from a US News article that I found interesting was this "In the U.S., we now see there are more software developers and programmers than there are lawyers or automobile mechanics. This makes up for one big block of growing jobs." - David Dorn (US News, 2016) 

This struck me because the jobs that used to be the foundation and the building blocks of America are not the same anymore. Now we need people who know about computers because even cars are becoming more complex. Lawyers now may need to know more about computers to deal with cyber crimes and privacy issues instead of what they learned in law school. 

We can argue that computers have allowed us all to be better at what we do, but do they have other negative effects on us as humans? I think there are pros and cons to computers, but one thing I know for certain is that they are not going away and we need to adapt to the changing world. I personally see this with some smaller businesses who get hurt because they do not have a strong internet presence. Will robots and computers take over the things we do today or will there still be a need for human touch? These are questions that I think about daily when I see new advances in technology.

Do you think computers have helped or hurt society?

Sources

https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-08-12/productivity-inequality-and-the-profound-impact-of-the-personal-computer

https://www.history.com/topics/inventions/invention-of-the-pc 

https://www.teknogadyet.com/2018/07/modern-pc-powered-by-windows-and-intel.html

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/education/k12/the-journey-inside/explore-the-curriculum/microprocessors.html

https://www.computerhistory.org/revolution/birth-of-the-computer/4/78

http://www.hoylen.com/photos/2009-west/06-computer-history/pic5.html

Free Expression and Free Speech

 Eight Values of Free Expression

And the First Amendment

What are the Eight Values of Free Expression and how do they tie in with the First Amendment? Are there some values that are more prevalent than others? The news today is full of First Amendment issues and the issue of cancel culture, all of these values can tie in to current news. I will look to rank the values from most important to least important. Although I highlight the most important and tie it to a current event in the news. The ranking of importance is as follows; 

1. Protect Dissent

2. Promote Tolerance

3.  Check on Governmental Power

4. Marketplace of Ideas

5. Stable Change 

6. Participation in Self-Government

7. Promote Innovation

8. Individual Self-fulfillment

While all of these may be important in our society today, I will focus on the first one and how it relates to present day and more specifically how it shows up in the news today.  

1. Protect Dissent: To Protect dissent is to protect all views no matter how unpopular they may be.

Today more than ever we are faced with cancel culture and the desire to use mob mentality to hurt people that we disagree with. It states specifically that our culture is to not be one of mob rule which unfortunately is the most prevalent deciding factor in people's lives. I know many people myself that have been directly affected by cancel culture and it has ruined them to the point of seeking various outlets. Without disagreements and viewpoints we as a country would not be who we are today because it takes all kinds to make up one body. You are allowed to disagree with everyone including the government, but it is your duty to criticize the government and not your peers. There are no laws that state that you can't say this or you can't say that, but instead it is our culture that has made certain things wrong to say or do. The main issue that I have with this one and how dissent is not being protected is that someone disagrees with them and builds up the mob mentality to expose them on social media. Publicly shaming someone for something they said to the point where they lose a job or get rejected from their dream school isn't what our country was built on. We are allowed to dispute and disagree with others, we are not allowed to expose them or use mob mentality and cancel culture to ruin somebody's life. 

Luckily for most of us we are not as exposed to constant monitoring and the spotlight like actors and actresses are. We have noticed recently all of the famous people being exposed for various things that they have said or done and it sets the wrong precedent. By cancelling famous people we are setting the bar and the picture that cancelling people is the right thing to do. Cancelling someone for something they did does not protect all views regardless of their popularity and is dangerous water that we are crossing into. One thing to think about is the power that famous people and athletes have to influence cancel culture. 

One example of recent news that I want to tie into this value is the recent debate with Kelly Loeffler and the WNBA. We all know that the WNBA has their own values and controversial stances on current issues and this affected Loeffler who is a co-owner of the Atlanta dream. Because she did not agree with the mission of "Black Lives Matter" even her own players were in support of her opponent during the elections. Like many people, the organization BLM seems a little too radical and that is the case for Loeffler. Unfortunately because she lost the support of her own players and colleagues, many thought she did not have a place in the WNBA. Although she has not given up that co-ownership there is pressure from everyone for her to give it up. This is where the term mob rule comes into play, because she does not align with their values, they turned on her and now want her out. Since when did not aligning with ones values become enough to force someone to sell their part ownership in the company. This article ties back to Protect Dissent and protecting all views no matter how unpopular they may be. Regardless of whether or not you may agree with Loeffler and her values, they are to be protected under the First Amendment and the Eight Values of Free Expression. These athletes used the leverage that they had to play into the cancel culture movement, one thing athletes should never do. 

Although athletes have the power to influence major events there are times where it is better that they sit back instead of trying to take a stand. Those involved in the mob mentality against protecting dissent often are not the ones directly affected by the event but instead want to publicly shame them. While there may be viewpoints that we often disagree with, it is better to sit back and protect all viewpoints instead of fueling the mob rule. America would not be America without Free Speech and Free Expression and we must stay true to our roots and the founding principles for which our founding fathers built this country on.

Sources

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/01/kelly-loeffler-doesnt-belong-in-the-wnba/617632/

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/04/sports/basketball/wnba-dream-loeffler-warnock.html